Of Stone and Blood and Feline Traits
by DeadLuck666
Summary: When The Flock hit the Institute in New York and freed the mutant kids, they also freed Avery. A secret bio-weapon experiment with the ability to turn people to stone. But what does Avery have to do with a certain potions professor that works for a private school in Scotland? Well... You'll just have to tag-along for the ride and find out. [Rated T, please R&R]
1. Preview

**"Prologue"**

**~ Spinner's End, Ipswich, UK ~**

It was another rainy Summer's day at Spinner's End for Severus Snape, whom was peacefully enjoying the latest issue of "Master Brewer's of Great Britain" in one of his soft-leather recliner, when he reading was suddenly interrupted by the sound of knocking coming from his front door. Letting out a sigh, Severus reluctantly put his magazine aside, got up and walked over to the door. _Who is it this time_, Severus thought bitterly as he reached out towards the door knob and turned it, opening the door just a bit so he could peer out side. What the Potions Master saw was something he had not quite been expecting.

There, standing on his door step, was a teenage looking boy with long ebony hair tied back into a simple braid and a blindfold covering his eyes. He wore a maroon colored jacket with a white fur trimming around the collar, with a brown back-pack slung across his left shoulder and some strange kind of black or navy colored pants. The oddest part of all, was the long sleek black tail that seemed to sprout from his rear. The boy just stood there silently soaking wet. Because the wards he had set up around his house to let him know if any wizards or muggles with bad intentions had failed to alert him, he was slightly curios to who this person (if he could even call it a person) was and what they wanted.

"What do you want, boy?" Severus asked sharply, becoming impatient waiting for an answer. Just because he was on his Summer leave _did not_ mean he wanted to be barraged by snot-nosed brats who came knocking on his door in the pouring rain. The boy appeared startled when Severus had spoken, but his surprise was quickly covered up with a calmer expression. Severus was actually some what impressed with the boy's ability to wear such masks to cover up his emotions (but did not dare to mention anything of it out loud). The boy fiddled with some bandages that were wrapped around his left wrist trying to find something to say.

"Uh... Excuse me, sir," the boy said with a nervous tone, "but I was wondering if anyone by the name of Severus Tobias Snape lives here."

It was now Severus's turn to be at a loss for words. This boy, whom he had never seen before in his entire life, knew his full name.

"That would depend on who is asking."

The boy shoved his hands into his pockets, looking down at his boots in thought. A few minutes later, he spoke only two words. But it would be those two words that would change both of their lives forever...


	2. 01 - Escape

**Hello once again! I'm back from the depths of my book shelf to bring you yet another creation of mine! :)**

**A ****Harry Potter**** and ****Maximum Ride****_Cross-over_****. Starts off in _MR:_ _The Angel Experiment_ (Part 6: _Who's your daddy, who's your momma?_) at the end chapter 125 (slightly edited). It'll then split off into The Prisoner of Azkaban book in the HP series with an AU storyline and a couple of appearances of The Flock again. Suggestions might be asked for in certain chapters, so if you want, PM me a suggestion for the fate of Avery and his owl-friend ****Athena.**

**Disclaimer: I only own the OC Avery and the OC Athena. Nothing more, nothing less and I don't plan to change that any time soon... **

**(Enjoy reading!)**

* * *

**"Chapter One: Escape"**

Somewhere deep underground in New York City five avian mutants stood around a teenaged girl typing frantically on a keyboard trying to hack into the Institute for Higher Living's data system, but with no luck at hand.

"This is pointless." Max said in a huff of annoyance, her nerves frayed.

"What's wrong, Max?" Nudge asked softly, coming to stand close to her.

"Who am I kidding?" Max said. "There's no way for me to crack the password. We've come all this way for nothing. I'm such a loser! I can't stand it!"

Nudge leaned closer and touched the monitor with a finger, angling it so she could see better. She read the screen, her lips moving silently. Max wanted to push her away, but she didn't want to be pointlessly mean.

Nudge closed her eyes.

"Nudge?" Max asked.

Her hand fanned out on the monitor, as if pressing closer for warmth.

"Hello?" Max said. "What are you doing?"

"Um, try big x, little j, little n, big p, the number seven, big o, big h, little j, and the number four.." Nudge said in a whisper.

Max stared at her. Across the room, Fang was watching the two, and Max's eyes met his. Quickly, before she forgot, Max typed in what she'd said, seeing the letters show up as small dots in the password box. Max then hit Enter, and the computer whirred to life, a list of icons popping up on the left-hand side of the screen.

_They were in._

Max stared at Nudge as she opened her eyes slowly. A bright smile crossed her face, "Did it work?"

"Yeah, it worked." Max replied, stunned. "Where'd you get it?"

"The computer." She said, looking pleased. "Like, when I touched it." She reached out and touched it again. "I can see the person who works here. It's a woman, with frizzy red hair. She drinks way too much coffee. She typed in the password, and I can feel it."

"Wow," Max said. "Touch something else." Nudge went to the next chair and put her hand on it. She closed her eyes and, a few moments later, smiled. "A guy sits here. A baldie. He bites his nails. He went home early yesterday." Opening her eyes, she looked at Max happily. "I have a new skill!" she said. "I can do something new! This is so cool!"

"Good for you, Nudge." Max said. "You saved our butts here."

Trying to focus despite this latest mind-blowing development, Max continued skimmed icons and right-clicked her way into Explore. She then searched for 'avian', then she typed in 'School' and 'genetics'… Suddenly document files filled the screen.

Max's fingers flew across the keyboard, searching out names, dates, anything she could think of to make a connection. Origins. _That looked promising_, Max thought and clicked on it. Her eyes raced down the lines of text and her throat closed up. She saw their names, names of hospitals, names of towns. Max even found what looked like names of parents. Then she saw pictures of adults that seemed to go with the names. _Were these our parents? They had to be. Oh, God, oh, God. This was it! This was exactly what we needed!_

Max hit Print, and pages started spewing out of the printer.

"What are you doing?" Fang asked, coming over.

"I think maybe I found something," Max answered breathlessly. "I'm going to print it, and then we should get the heck out of here. Start getting the others together." Fang nodded and left to gather the rest of The Flock to go. Max was about to get up to retrieve the print outs when another file caught her attention. The file was labeled "Project Stone Eye". Curiosity grabbing hold of max she clicked on it. Immediately more reels of data come forth with images, reports, test results, and horrifying video footage of a screaming children as test were done on them. Max then found something that almost put here into shock, putting her hand over her mouth as she began to read the following:

**_- THE "STONE EYE" PROJECT -_**

_The experiment and development of the first Mythical DNA Bio-weapons formed by ITEX._

_In 1974, an ITEX branch in Greece found "Gorgon" (A creature in Greek Mythology that has the power to turn people to stone) DNA for sale on the Black Market and proceeded to buy all of it. They then grafted the DNA into a girl, whom is known in other logs as Test subject No.0018273, and was proven to be real Gorgon DNA. Unfortunately five scientists were turned to stone by No.0018273 and the branch was forced to remove her._

_By 1978 one hundred test subjects were brought together to form Project "Stone Eye" in hopes to create super-weapons to sell off the various governments and militaries who would bid the highest price. Turing the first five years over 50% of the test subjects died upon having the DNA injected into them, where they would start screaming in agony and their bodies turn to stone and dust. Only ten subjects successfully survived and were then shipped off to different branches of ITEX across the world..._

Max began scrolled down list after list of named test subjects that were used. Giving details and information about their backgrounds etc. Almost all of them were listed under 'deceased' except for maybe seven or eight of them which she took time to read properly. Test subjects No.003 in the Russian branch, No.038 in Asia, No.021, No. 96.. Max stopped on test subject No.042's profile.

_Registered Name: No.042._

_Current Age: [Y15] ._

_Born: Feb. 17 (1976), found on the door step of "Lady Jane's Orphanage", Blackpool, UK._

_Facility: Recently moved to the American branch; ITEX building No.12, in New Yo_- Before Max finish the sentence, a voice spoke from behind.

"Max are you done?" Someone said. Max nearly jumped out of her skin and feathers. Max bolted from the chair into a fighting stance, only to smack face first into Fangs head. Both hiss out in pain.

"_What was that for?!_" Fang snapped sharply, rubbing his forehead.

"What was that for? That was for sneaking up on me, _AGAIN!_" Max retorted angrily. Iggy stepped in-between the two before they started throwing fists at one-another.

"Stop this right now!" Iggy said quietly. "Or do you want a bunch of Erasers and White-coats to barge in and capture us?"

Fang and Max head drooped in defeat. Though Iggy could not see this, he took the silence in with a smile of satisfaction.

"Good. Now, Max did you find what you were looking for?" Iggy then asked.

'Hmmm' was Max's only reply as she turn back to the computer screen and clicked the print button again for test Subject No.042's profile to read later. Once the last page was printed out Max grabbed all pages and stuffed them into an envelope and tossed it to Nudge for 'safe keeping'.

"Come on!" Max said urgently. "Let's split! Let's go!"

"Uh, just a second, Max." said the Gasman, sounding really, really weird.

The Gasman was standing by a fabric-covered wall, and with typical curiosity, he had pulled the fabric aside. Slowly, the rest of The Flock walked over to him, six sets of eyes opened wide as saucers.

When Max was two feet away, her heart slammed to a halt inside her chest. She put a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Angel did scream, until Fang cupped a hand over her mouth. Behind the curtain was a glass wall. (Okay, no biggie.) But behind the glass was another lab room, with lab stations, computers, and… cages.

Cages with sleeping forms in them. Child-size forms.

Dozens of them.

Mutants.

Just like us.

* * *

**(Avery's POV)**

_They really did me in good this time..._ I thought bitterly to myself, as I laid curled up in my cage sore and blindfolded.

This morning the _Doctors_ did more tests on me, injecting my with death knows what and making me run through over a dozen mazes, agility courses, and to top it all off with I was forced to do more MilSim training. The one thing I hate the most, because sometimes they make me fight one of the other test subjects and sometimes the Doctors make me.. _Kill them..._

_:You know you shouldn't blame your self, Avery.:_ A familiar voice spoke from inside my head.

"I know Athena..." I whispered hoarsely. "But their deaths were still my fault, even if the Doctors were the ones who forced me to." Athena hooted (Yes, hooted.) in frustration.

_:Whatever, Avery.:_ She said, I could hear her as she ruffled her feathers, obviously annoyed. I sat up stiffly and turned to face the direction of Athena's cage next to mine. Neither of us spoke for a while, I felt even more tired now.

"Athena, listen I'm-" I began, but Athena interrupted me with a sharp note.

_:Shhh!_ _Someone is here, be quiet!:_ She hissed in my head.

I immediately closed my mouth shut and scooted as far as I could to the back of my cage, somewhere far off I could hear the silent swooshing sounds of foot steps. _Where the Doctors back to do more tests?_ I thought, feeling a knot of panic start to for in my stomach. I could sense that I wasn't the only one who felt uneasy about the new occupants in the room. All of the *_others_ were restless and were shifting in their own individual cages.

_Are they Doctors or Erasers?_ I asked Athena mentally. Athena, being an owl mutant experiment and all, could see far better in the dark than I. Thus proving both useful as a look out and my link.

:_No. Not Doctors, not Erasers..._: She answered back. :_**Others.** Six counting total._:

"Others.. Like _us_?" I queried. I could defiantly hear people, I crawled to forward so I could hear what was happening better. There were two voices speaking, they where close. _Maybe a few cages away? What where they saying?_ I strained my hears to hear what they were saying and managed to pick up small bits of a conversation.

"...can't save them _all._" A male sounding voice said softly.

"I'm supposed to save the world right?" A higher pitched voice whispered back. (_Female_, I noted.) "Well, I'm gonna start with these guys."

_I don't like the sound of that at all._

I quickly sent Athena a mental note, _What does she mean 'start with these guys'?_

Athena didn't reply. Everything was silent except for the sounds of movement outside of my cage. After a while I started to rub the glowing bracelet on my left wrist (a nervous habit of mine) that hobbled my powers, my tail started to trash back and forth. The silence was then broken she when I heard the same female voice spoke again.

"Start popping latches." The same girl whispered, immediately the sound of metal squeaking and cages being opened filled the chasm of nothingness. The _others_ were calling out, making sounds to each other. Most of it I could not understand, but for someone like me with sensitive hearing, it was nerve-racking. _What is happening?!_ I thought frantically, _Who are these people?!_

:_Don't fret Avery._: Athena's voice cut through my thoughts. :_This is our chance to finally be free, and these people are going to help us._:

I've known Athena since I was five (when I was moved here) and if anything I trusted her judgement with my life. Suddenly I sensed someone in front of my cage rattling the metal door in its frame.

"Drat, why does it have a padlock on it?" A different _younger_ sounding male voice.

"It has one so I wouldn't escape." I answered, reaching out and grabbing the bars on the door. Leaning my face closer to the new voice. "Who are you?" I then asked.

The rattling noise stopped when the _boy_ spoke again, "Hi! My name's the Gasman or Gazzy for short, what's yours?"

"Avery." I said impatiently. "Now listen, you won't be able to open the lock in time. But if you break the bracelet on my wrist I can get out on my own just fine."

"But I could get my friend to pick the lock and-" "NO TIME! JUST DO IT ALREADY!" I cut in angrily, thrusting my left arm through a gap in the bars.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to yell man.." 'Gazzy' said, trying to sound calm as he took my left hand and guided it to the floor. A second later I felt his foot come down hard on the bracelet, a sharp pain spread throughout my arm making me yelp in pain. _Broken wrist..._ I thought ruefully as I gingerly pulled my arm back through the bars. But in a way it was worth it, I could feel the light draining and _total_ darkness fall over all my senses. Only now in this nothingness did I regain _all_ of my powers back.

Cradling my broken wrist with my right arm, I got to my feet and stood up, though due to being in a cage and all I only manage something above a crouching stance. In one push, I shifted straight through the bars of my steel enforced cage.

It's hard to explain the feeling I get whenever I _'Shadow Shift'_ through stuff. In a way it feels like you're standing in a cold river and your entire body has gone numb, then imagine things passing through your chest, head, etc. (It would feel something like that.) Stumbling onto the floor outside I heard Gazzy gasp. Not bothering to listen to what he had to say next I took off running cradling my injured hand, as a last second thought I yelled a 'thanks' over my shoulder. Still running I called out for Athena.

_Athena! Where are you? I need you to guide me out of this hell hole!_ I thought desperately. There was a fluttering sound of wings before I felt the weight of something perched upon my right shoulder.

:_I'm here Avery, keep going straight through the door._: Athena answered. I followed her instructions and ran past cage and others alike till I came out through a door into a room the was dimly lit. There were several office desks and chairs outlined in white in my vision. Without slowing pace, I dodged and weaved through the chaos of escapes till I reach another door and Athena spoke up again.

:_Past this door there will be a flight of stairs. Many others, including some of the one that freed us, are going up them. I believe this is the exit out._: She said with confidence. With much caution I made a slower journey up the flight of stairs with both my hands on the wall to guide the way. Just a couple of steps from the top someone pushed me from behind and I lost my balance. I was falling backwards now and there were no railings for me to grab, but then a hand reached out and grabbed my left forearm rather roughly.

"Gotcha!" A boy's voice, Gazzy's voice, said.

"Thank you.." I said quietly.

"No worries. Com'on we're almost out, just a little bit more." He added encouragingly.

In two last bounds me, Athena, and Gazzy were at the top of the stair case. We were now in a place that smelled of rot and waste. Covering my nose with my non-brocken hand, I turn to where Gazzy was beside me.

"Where are we and what is that horrible smell?" I asked, trying not to gag on the putrid stench.

Gazzy who still had a hold on my forearm continued to pulled me along. "We're in the sewers under New York City, and it always smells like this." He answered. It was very humid in the sewers, but at least I could see the shadows of people and objects betters now. Apparently who ever these people who had decided to break us out got most of the others out too. For now there were over dozens of kid sized experiments running about in the sewers, their feet splashing through the mucky waters.

:_Avery, continue to follow this boy till you reach the surface,_: Athena said while taking off in flight, :_I'll meet you when you get there._: Before I could argue with her or tell her to not to go, she was gone. For ten years Athena has always been there by my side to guide me and now, for the first time, I would have to do something on my own, and I was scared.

"Where are we going?" I asked Gazzy, trying not to sound nervous.

"Up ahead there's a ladder that you can use to get out of the sewers." Gazzy said in between breaths.

We then came to a sudden stop and Gazzy spoke again. "Here we are. There's a drop of in front of us, the ladder is at the bottom and to the left side. It's pretty far down, do you think you can make it on your own?"

I nodded. "I can, but what about you? Aren't you coming with me?"

"Yeah," Gazzy agreed, "but I can fly and I have to make sure my friends get out safely too." I could understand his worry, I too had to make sure Athena was alright.

"Okay, you go then, I'll be fine on my own." I reassured him. After a couple of seconds I heard his footsteps splash back down the the sewer water in the direction we had come from. I then turned back to face the open space in front of me. Taking in slow even breathes, I swallowed my fear and leap off the edge and shifted away into the shadows.

Out of the sewers and far, far away from the Institute.

* * *

******* ****Others, other test subjects.**

**CHAPTER TWO COMING SOON. **

**Chocolate Frogs for everyone in the meantime! :D**

**DL666**


	3. 02 - Friend or Foe?

**"Chapter Two: Friend or Foe?"**

Avery landed roughly out of the shadows in an alleyway in the pouring rain. Slowly he got to his feet cussing under his breath.

_That could have gone a whole lot smoother_, he thought irritably as he placed his right hand against the nearest surface (which happened to be a wall). He then started to walk the length of the wall, though he didn't know exactly where to go, without Athena he was practically blind. Speaking of Athena where was she? Where was he? Avery knew that he was in New York City from what Gazzy had told him, but to where exactly he was now, he had no clue. It was times like these that he really wished he was not part Gorgon and could actually use his eye-sight without worrying about turning some poor folk into stone. He stopped suddenly when he heard voices up ahead. So, supporting his broken wrist with his right arm, Avery crouched behind a large dumpster and watched as six kids with bird wings attached to their backs talked in hushed tones from across the street. Like in the Institute, their shadow and form were out-lined in white like a negative photo. He continued to do so until a pleasant voice spoke to him.

:_I see you made it out just fine._: Athena cooed, circling over Avery's head lazily. The corners of Avery's mouth turned slightly up into a small smile.

"Same to you, my dear friend. What took you so long?" He asked, looking up at the owl in curiosity.

:_I just thought you would need this before we , as one would say, 'took flight'._: The she-owl drawled.

Avery tilted his head in confusion before asking, "And what, pray tell, would that be exactly?"

:_Not even going to guess what it is?_: She asked. When Avery did not reply to her question, Athena sighed inwardly. :_Fine, hold out your hands and you'll find out._: She instructed. Avery did so obediently and Athena dropped something that had previously been securely grasped in her talons into his out stretched hand. After examining the object Avery's face lit up with joy.

"My old military waist harness! Holly Zeus, it even has a Colt 1911!" Avery said astonished. "Where on earth did you find these?"

Athena chuckled in amusement. :_Let's just say it was a gift from *Tyche and, in addition to the gun, there's two extra magazines in the other pouch._: She said while gliding down to perch on Avery's shoulder.

Avery muttered a few words of thanks both to Tyche and Athena, he stepped into the harness and buckled it. He also made sure that the gun was on safety (Which is was.) before returning his attention back to the bird kids.

"Athena, are those kids there the same ones that freed us?" He asked, pointing to the kids in question. Athena looked to where Avery was pointing and nodded.

:Yep, that's them alright. Six Avin-hybrids they are.: Athena said, hooting softly. The six bird kids were now standing close together talking with each other about something. Avery strained his ears to try to understand what they were saying, but it was the same result from when he was stuck in a cage, only able to get snatches of words and bits of conversation.

"Where are... ... mutants?", "The girl with wings took them." ...

"..."

Avery's tail curled and flicked in annoyance. _If only I could get a little closer_, he thought wistfully, but his musing was interrupted when he recognized the same female voice from before speaking. One of the kids started to limp away from the group saying something like 'walk the walk'. It was two minutes later that she stopped and turned to one of the girls, who smallest figure in the party.

"Angel?" She asked, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. "What's that?"

Athena saw what the little girl was holding and almost fell from Avery's shoulder in sock. _Is that who I think it is?_ She privately thought to herself.

"It's my dog." 'Angel' answered.

"Your what?" A tall boy from the group said. All five Avian-hybrid kids gathered around Angel and the dog in question.

"Let's move," the girl (Whom Avery and Athena, through obvious deduction, narrowed out as the leader of the 'flock'.) said, "but this discussion isn't over, Angel." No soon had the girl said this that the small 'flock' turn down an alley and took off to the sky.

Athena leaped into the air in pursue. :_Follow them!_: She screeched as she rose up above the buildings.

Avery dove into the nearest shadow after the flocks shadows just like a hound would follow a strong scent. _I follow them from the ground and you from the sky?_

:_Precisely._:

* * *

**~ Small Time Skip ~**

**(Max's POV)**

In Battery Park, down at the tip of Manhattan we all huddled under a small, abandoned band shell that was almost hidden by overgrown rhododendrons and yew bushes, its sheltering us as the rain washed dust off the city. I was completely exhausted.

"Okay then.." I said, sitting up straighter, trying to put energy into my voice. "Angel, explain the dog. _Now_."

"He's my dog." She said firmly, not looking at me. "From the Institute."

Fang sent me a look that said: _If you let her keep this dog, I will kill you._

"Angel, we cannot have a dog with us." I said sternly. "It's just not possible."

The dog wiggled out of her arms to sit at her side. It looked pretty normal as far as I could tell. Its bright, black doggy eyes shone at me, and it was grinning in a friendly way. Its short, stumpy tail wagging away happily. Its nose sniffed the air happily, excited by all the new scents in the world. Angel gathered the dog to her. The Gasman edged closer to look at it.

"And besides, you have Celeste." I pointed out.

"I love Celeste," Angel said loyally, "but I couldn't leave Total behind."

"Total?" Iggy asked.

"That's what his card said." Angel explained.

"Totally a mutant dog who will probably turn on us and kill us in our sleep." Fang said. The dog cocked his head to one side, his grin fading a moment. Then his tail wagged again, insult forgotten. Suddenly a chorus of uncontrollable laughter erupted from everywhere.

I took on a fighting stance, turning my head in all directions. "Who's there?!" I shouted. "Show your self now and I might not beat you into next week!"

The laughing then subsided and a voice echoed from all around.

"I'm not here to fight you. I just want to... _Play._" It said directly from behind me, scaring the living crap out of me. I twisted, swinging my around to land a punch on this creep, but it just connected with thin air. The laughing started once again. (Though it was more like chuckling now.) Angel let out shrill scream then, falling on her rear.

"ANGEL!" I cried out, rushing over to her side. The Gasman kneeling by her already.

"Are you okay sweetie? What happened?" I asked, my voice overflowing with concern.

Angel simply nodded sniffing slightly. "S-something.. G-g-grabbed my ankle.." Angel whispered, peering wide-eyed at her foot.

The next moment later, I heard a growling sound and saw Total facing a corner of the stage the for some reason was much darker than the rest. A hand holding a pistol emerged from the darkness, the finger on the trigger. I was sure it was about to shoot, but suddenly a high-pitched screeching went off inside my head, causing me to grab it in pain. _This is just as bad as my last headache!_ I thought gritting my teeth together, glancing sideways I saw the others doing the same. A tawny white owl flew out of the night sky, landing on one of the rusted railings before the screeching in our heads returned, :_Really. Stop tormenting the people who freed you from the shadows and properly introduce your self._:

A whining sound echoed as the gun retreated and a boy emerged from the darkness. He was a little taller than Fang with ebony colored hair tied into a small pony tail and was wearing a dark blue colored skin-tight outfit like the one that snake-guy from that metal gear-game-thingy Gazzy played at the Toy store the other day. (Except he had a blindfold on and not some eyepatch.) The once threatening pistol was now holstered safely on a harness tied around his waist.

"There," the boy muttered, lifting his hands up dramatically, "happy now Athena?" The owl (Whom I guess is 'Athena'.) replied simply with an indignant hoot, and glided over to on one of his out stretched arms, moving up to perch on his shoulder. I was about to ask who he was and how that owl was able talk in our minds, when Gazzy suddenly lit up and pointed at him.

"It's you!" Gazzy cried ecstatically. Where upon hearing the Gasman's voice he seem to perk up a bit.

"Me? What about you, how did you even get here?" Avery asked surprised.

I looked between the two, totally lost at the turn of the conversation. "Uh, do you two know each other?" I asked Gazzy.

He nodded. "Yeah, he's one of the mutant kids that we freed or at least one of the ones I freed. He said that his name's Avery." Gazzy informed us and, sure enough, when I studied 'Avery' again I saw that hidden behind was a sleek black cat-like tail.

"Well, it's nice to meet you." I said, putting on a polite smile. "My name is Max and these are my friends Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy you already know of course, and this is Angel." Despite Avery having a clothe covering his eyes he followed my finger has I pointed to each of the Flock members as I said each of their names and they said a brief "hello" and such.

For a second Avery looked nervous, but I shrugged it off as he muttered something that sounded like "Hi" before saying, "My name is Avery, as Gazzy already said, and this-" He gestured to the owl perched on his shoulder. "-is my friend Athena." The she-owl bowed her head towards me and the others in a form of a greetings. I took a small step towards him.

"How old are you exactly Avery?" I asked him softly.

Avery titled his head back in thought. "Um.. Some where around fourteen, fifteen years old I guess." He replied, giving a little shrug.

_Poor thing_, I thought sadly, _all those years at the mercy of the White-coats. Must have been a living hell for him._

"Would it okay if I asked what animal they mixed you with?"

He seem to stiffen slightly at my question, but then he nodded. "Um, 3% Black panther, or at least I think so." He murmured under his breath uncertainly.

"That would explain the tail then," I said calmly, standing up to my full hight. "Why were you hiding from us?"

Avery put his hands behind his back, rocking back and forth on his heels. "Well, to tell you the truth it wasn't my idea. Athena said to... OW!" He hollered as Athena bit his ear. Avery scowled at the owl before turning to face directly where Angel was now standing. "I'm sorry I scared you lil' Angel. It wasn't nice and I apologize," he said solemnly looking down at his shoes. "Would you forgive me?"

Angel remained silent with her brow creased in thought.

Then she nodded her head, but she then remembered that he probably couldn't see this gesture. "Yes.. I forgive you, but how did you do it? The shadow thing I mean." She said curiously. _That what I want to know too_, I mused silently.

_I know, that's why I asked..._ Angel's voice echoed in my head.

Avery just shrugged. "I honestly don't know, I just-" He stopped speaking and suddenly fell backwards, forcing Athena to land onto the ground a bit ungracefully a few feet away.

At first I thought he was about to hit the concrete ground, but when I blinked he wasn't there. Suddenly the hair on the back of my neck stood up on end as I felt a presence behind me and I gasped, turning around to see Avery standing mere inches away from me. "-can." He said, finishing his sentence.

I stared at him in shock. "H-how did you?" I stuttered, blinking several times, looking from where he was to where he stood now trying to a grasp around the fact that this boy just disappeared in the blink of an eye and then just _reappeared_ behind me without making any noise.

Avery simply gave me an amused look while he walked back over to Athena.

"I call it 'Shadow Shifting'. It's a kind of special ability I discovered when I was seven," he said chuckling to himself, "Those first few weeks were particularly troublesome for the Doctors, weren't then?" Athena closed her eyes and let out a series of high-pitched hoots. (That I'm pretty sure is an owls way of laughing.)

"When you say '_Doctors_' are you referring to the White-coats?" Fang asked cooly. Avery turned to him and nodded.

Nudge piped in, asking several questions at rapid speed, "How come you weren't able to escape before? You had the ability to, was there something they did to prevent you from using it? Are there other abilities you have any other abilities? I'm able to eat twelve Snicker bars in one sitting. Speaking of food, is anyone hungry? I am. Can we get something to eat? Hey Avery what's your favorit-"

"SHUT UP!" Avery shouted over Nudges chattering. "_How can I answer any of your questions if you keep talking?_" He asked, sounding like he was about the break down or something.

Nudge looked down, obviously less bubbly now. "Sorry..." She whispered softly.

Avery sighed, quickly regaining a calm attitude before he decided to speak.

"First of all, I wasn't able to escape before because the... _White-coat's_ (as you call them) put this bracelet that generates its own light on my wrist, that way it would be impossible for me to fully shift through anything with out loosing my arm, but thanks to Gazzy braking it, I can now use it with a care in the world. Secondly, I do have a few other talents and yes I am hungry." Right as Avery said that his stomach gave a mighty roar in demand for food.

The entire Flock bursted out in laughter while I tried (and failed) to suppress a few chuckles. This kid didn't wasn't so bad after all (if you minus the gun incident). At least he hadn't run off when Nudge went automatic with the questions, though the owl- Athena -did look really unnerved when that happened... Maybe it was just my imagination or something.

**_*Max..._**

But of course happy, peaceful moments never last to long without being interrupted at some point. _So now you decide to speak?_ I thought irritably, what do you want?

**_You need to have Avery and Athena join the flock. It is important that they stay with you._** The voice said in a commanding tone.

Of course the Voice knew about them, why was I not surprised. _And why should I?_ I asked calmly.

If a bodiless voice could sigh, then mine just did. _**Because Max**_, the Voice said softly, _**they need your help as much as you need theirs.**_

_Fine..._ I said stubbornly. _I'll __think__ about it, but my family always comes first._

I could hear it chuckle in my head as if amused by what I said.

_**Of course Max, but you **__**will**__** let them into the flock whether you want to or not.**_ And with that, the Voice fell silent once more.

I sighed in relief that it was finally gone. (Though I did have a small head ache now.) It seemed that everyone was hungry now and we still had the print-outs to look at, but it didn't seem like the right moment to do that now. So the food part would be first.

"Alright then, let's set up a camp fire and get something to eat." I said in a cheerful attitude. "Does that sound alright to everyone?"

My question was answered with cheers from Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and a few cheerful yaps from Total. Angel skipped over to Avery and proceeded to pull him over towards gauzy and Iggy whom started chatting about stuff. I smiled at the sight of Avery softening up to Angel and Iggy, though he seemed to be most comfortable talking with Gazzy. Even Athena and Total were chatting in barks and hoots and whatever in is that animals speak. Fang on the other hand looked rather skeptical of the three new mutants in our party. Honestly I think he's a bit to paranoid at some points here and there. I then felt someone tugging on my jacket sleeve, looking down I saw Nudge's big brown eyes staring right into mine.

"Hey Max? Do you think we could get some pizza? I saw a place a couple blocks northeast of here called '*Bravo Kosher Pizza', it looked really nice too!" Nudge chattered excitedly, practically jumping up and down next to me.

"I think pizza is a great idea Nudge! And if we order it to-go we can just say it's for some college party we're catering for,"I said happily, "after that we can hit a convenient store and buy some two-litter bottles of soda."

I gave Nudge a hug before I walked over to Fang and whispered in his ear. "Nudge and I are going to get some food. I need you to stay here and watch the others especially those three." I jerked my head in Avery, Athena, and Total's Direction.

Sure I pitied them and was glad to help them, but I still didn't test them. More so with Avery since he had a gun, an actual _gun_, for crying out loud. Fang nodded once to show that he had heard me and I patted his shoulder to signal me leaving now.

I went back over to Nudge and together we took to the morning skies heading northeast in search of some eats.

* * *

Sure enough Nudge and I were able to find "Bravo Kosher Pizza" and we were now standing in line looking at their menu. They had several types of pizza as well as other thing like pasta and salads, but I didn't think Nudge and I could carry those thing in addition to the pizza we were going to get too.

"Next please." The woman behind the counter called out as Nudge and I moved forward. "Welcome to Bravo Kosher Pizza, how may I help today?" She said with a positive atmosphere around her. I quickly glanced over the menu again to confirm what I wanted to buy before returning my attention back to the cashier.

"Um, yeah.. I'd like to get two New York-style pizzas, a Sicilian pizza, a Spelt pizza, five Chicago Deep Dish pizzas, and a Baked Ziti pizza as well as a dozen Danish and two Baked Salmon Teriyaki dishes. All of this I would like to have to-go please." I said, turning to Nudge I acted out the next part. "Do you think that this will be enough for the party? There are over twenty people coming after all." I asked tilting my head slightly up as in thought.

Nudge shook her head. "Nah, I think that should be enough. Beside Mike is sick and Becky can't come because her mom broke her leg, remember?" Nudge recited like she was staring in some theater play. I nodded before turning back to the cashier who gave me a friendly smile who finished ringing up my purchase.

"You're total is $2,313.35, would you like to pay with cash or plastic?" She asked politely. Nudge stared at her, mouth hanging open.

"Really? Only $2,313.35, that's less than I thought it would cost!" I shouted in fake glee as I handed her the 'max-card'. _We would defiantly not be eating here again_, I mentally noted to myself. She intern took it from and swiped it before handing it back to me. "So how long will it take to put it all together?" I asked after a few seconds.

"About half an hour to an hour at least." The cashier replied tearing off the receipt and handing that to me also. "If you'd like, we can give you a call when it's ready. I'll just need a phone number and-"

"Oh, don't worry. We can just go and do some shopping and come back in a half hour or so. Would that be alright?" I asked interrupting the cashier mid sentence .

She just shrugged and said, "That's fine, just show me or who ever is at the front counter your receipt and they'll give you your order." I said thanks before exiting the restaurant, Nudge and I began head to the nearest clothe shop. Nudge had to jog to keep up pace with my fast walk and even called out for me to slow down. I finally stop in front of a place called '*Trinity Place Department Store'. _Hmm... This place should do_, I thought to myself.

"Max.. (gasp) Why are we (gasp) going shopping? We just got new clothes... Why do you need to buy more?" Nudge asked between breaths, as she came to a stop beside me.

"Well, I've been thinking about maybe letting the new kid and his owl friend join the Flock, you see," I said, scratching the back of my head, " and I was thinking I could buy a jacket or something for him to hide that, uh-" I quickly looked around to make sure no one was ears dropping on our conversation before speaking again. "-_Gun_ of his from out of sight."

Nudge gave me a simple shrug and said with a sly smile, "Whatever, I'm sure we could find something suitable, but only if_ I'm_ aloud get something too."

I smile at Nudge and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I'll get you something small like a bottle of perfume, Okay?" Nudge nodded as we stepped through the entrance of the Department Store.

* * *

**I based Avery's outfit off of Big Boss's outfit and I also based Avery's Shadow slightly off of the main characters powers in "Infamous: Second Son", I just have to say it really inspired me when I was first designing Avery. :)**

**And now for all those ** marks! :D**

**Tyche**** is the greek (minor) god of Good luck and fortune. That's why Athena said it was a gift from ****_Tyche_**** (good fortune).**

**Bold-Italic text**** is when ****_The Voice_**** in Max's head is talking with her.**

**Bravo Kosher Pizza**** is a restaurant in New York city North-East of Battery Park, down at the tip of Manhattan. I looked it up on Google Maps and was even able to find a copy of their menu. So every thing that Max ordered in actually on their menu, though be warned that they are ****_really expensive_****. The amount that max payed was the real total price for all of the food ordered plus the $30.15 I randomly added as a sub for the taxes. (Though I'm sure none of you are mutant hybrids and won't actually need to buy that much food... I hope.)**

**Trinity Place Department Store is a clothe shop two or three blocks up from 'Bravo Kosher Pizza'. Easily found on Google Maps.  
PLEASE R&R! CHAPTER THREE COMING SOON and CHOCOLATE FROGS 4 ALL! :3**

**DL666**

**P.s.  
If you see any mistakes in the writing, please mention it in your review. I would very much like to correct them so that other readers can enjoy this story without having to correct my mistakes in their heads. Thanks. :)**


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